


Ideas

by orphan_account



Category: Downton Abbey
Genre: Crack, Fluff and Crack, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-29
Updated: 2013-04-29
Packaged: 2017-12-09 22:36:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/778755
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Jimmy climbs up the side of Downton in the rain.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ideas

**Author's Note:**

> Just a bit of Thommy drabble inspired by a mental image of Jimmy clambering up a drainpipe.

Jimmy shook his head in a desperate attempt to flick his hair out of his eyes; but to no avail. The rain was absolutely pouring tonight, and his hair was plastered to his forehead. He flexed his fingers, muttering curse words to himself as he used all the strength he had to haul himself up onto the top of the wall. 

It was dark. Too dark, and wet, and not to mention frightfully cold out here, and for a moment he wondered if it was even worth it, but then he cast his mind back to that afternoon in the Servant’s hall and grinned. 

They’d been sitting around the table; Alfred reading some cookbook or another, Thomas and Jimmy playing cards, and the kitchen maids down at the other end, giggling so often that Thomas felt obliged to pause the game and quirk an eyebrow.

“What’s gotten into you lot?” he asked, talking around the cigarette that was balanced between his lips.

Daisy briefly held up a book, “We’re readin’ this,” she replied, “It’s a love story,” 

Ivy nodded, looking excited. “There’s a part where the man decides to surprise his lady friend by climbing up a drainpipe to get to her window and offerin’ her flowers in the middle of the night!” 

Jimmy and Thomas shared a brief look. “Sounds exciting,” Thomas commented, making a face as he studied the cards in his hand, “I don’t think I’d be climbing up drainpipes for anybody,” he exhaled smoke, looking thoughtful, before adding, “Though I do commend the gentleman. Not an easy task, scaling a wall,” he smirked, and Jimmy chuckled. 

Though that _was_ rather a good idea. 

Well, he _thought_ it was a good idea, anyway. At 3 o’clock in the afternoon. Now, however, he was beginning to regret the whole damned thing. His hands ached from the cold, not to mention the fact that he could barely get any grip on these stupid slippery tiles. And how was he even supposed to climb up this? The drainpipe would have nothing to grip onto, and Thomas’ room was all the way up in the attics.

“Well done, Jimmy,” he sighed, blinking water away, and peering upwards to see if there was anything he could use to climb. Thankfully, he managed to locate a small ladder just about a metre above him that was probably used by the people who came to make sure the windows stayed clean. 

He shuffled carefully over so that he was directly beneath it, made sure that the flower was safely tucked away in his pocket, before bending his knees and jumping as high as he could go. By some miracle, his fingers locked around the bottom rung, and he grunted with effort as he used all the strength he could muster to pull himself upwards. 

“You are insane, Kent,” he groaned, taking a moment to recover, before beginning the steady ascent to the attics. It wasn’t an easy task, especially not with the heavy rain freezing his hands and making everything ten times more difficult, but somehow, he managed to get to the top, and now all that was left to do, was locate Thomas’ room. 

Jimmy pulled himself over the small wall and onto the roof of the building, creeping along as quietly as he could whilst attempting to peer into each bedroom window. 

He passed a few hallboys and Bates’ old room before finally arriving at the location he wanted. Thomas could just about be seen from the window; lounging on his bed in his nightclothes with a book in hand, and the lamp switched on.

Jimmy pulled the flower out of his pocket and gently rapped on the glass, trying not to laugh at the way the under butler practically tumbled out of his bed with fright. Thomas’ eyes darted up to the window, and immediately narrowed once he saw who it was. 

He pushed the window open.

“What the bleedin’ hell do you think you’re doing?!” he hissed.

“Nice to see you too, _darling_ ,” Jimmy replied sarcastically, pouting a little, before handing the rose over to Thomas with a flourish, “I thought I’d surprise you.”

Thomas didn’t stop glaring even as he took the rose from Jimmy’s hands, “You’re crazy.” he said, though the blonde footman noted the slight blush on Thomas’ face with glee.

Jimmy shrugged, “Maybe I am! Anyways I thought you said you’d commend any man who did such a thing, and here I am, at your service,” he bowed, and shivered from the cold, “And it’s freezing, so let me in, will you?”

“I don’t think so,” Thomas scoffed, much to the blonde man’s dismay, “You’re soaked! I don’t want me floor getting wet, thank you very much. Go climb in your own window,” 

“What?! I just climbed up the wall to get to your room and you wont let me in? Do I not even get a kiss for me efforts? You’re a cruel man, Mr Barrow.” 

Thomas scowled, but stepped aside. “Fine! Get in here, but its your own fault if you catch somethin‘, I’m telling you,” he helped Jimmy through the window, and shut it over behind them. Grudgingly, he watched Jimmy for a moment, eyeing the water that was slowly dripping from his clothing onto the floor, and heaved a sigh.

“You’d better take those clothes of before you catch your death,” he commented, and Jimmy’s eyebrows shot up. 

“If you insist,” he smirked, and quickly began de-clothing himself. 

“Don’t be too eager, Jimmy,” Thomas warned, but his expression was soft, and he put Jimmy’s wet clothes by the fire to dry when he was done, and encouraged the younger man to get under the covers. Thomas was planning to sit in the armchair; but Jimmy managed to talk him into getting into bed too, and they lay facing each other. 

Jimmy shivered and curled into Thomas’ side. “Don’t act like you’re not secretly thrilled that you had a gentleman caller in the middle of the night,” he said, prodding the under butler between the ribs. Thomas rolled his eyes.

“You’re hardly a gentleman sitting here in your undergarments, Jimmy,” he replied, “But no, I’ll admit that I am maybe just a _little_ bit thrilled,” 

Jimmy sat up, feigning shock. “Only a little bit?! I’ll need to change that at once,” he murmured, one hand moving to cup Thomas’ cheek. Their eyes met for a brief moment, before Jimmy closed the gap and their lips met in a chaste kiss. The kiss lasted a few moments before Jimmy drew back, and grinned.

“Definitely worth climbing up the wall for,” he commented, shifting closer to Thomas and nuzzling his head under the older man’s chin. “You’re warm,”

“That’s probably because I haven’t been out in the rain,” 

“Shut up and hold me,” Jimmy demanded. 

Thomas obliged, putting his arms around the smaller man and pulling him closer. The blissful silence lasted a few good moments until Thomas spoke again. “You should probably be getting back to bed,” 

“I’m sleeping here.” he told Thomas. 

“…Okay then,”

“Good.” 

A heartbeat. 

“…So,” 

Jimmy wrinkled his nose up against Thomas’ skin. “Thomas, I need my beauty sleep,” he whined, flapping a hand in the general direction of the under butler’s face, before huffing, and settling back down against the mattress. Thomas smirked at him and planted a kiss on his forehead.

“Goodnight then, Jimmy.” he said, reaching over to switch the lamp off. 

But Jimmy was already snoring away softly.

**Author's Note:**

> I have no idea what this even is; and I apologise for it. Multiple times.


End file.
